Psychometric Properties of a Scale on Judgmental Communication with Peers About Sex Among YMSM and Their Close Friends in Lebanon

AIDS and Behavior - We are not aware of any validated sexual health communication scales for use with young men who have sex with men (YMSM). We used data from an HIV prevention study in Lebanon...     

Motives That Bridge Diverse Activities of Older People

We report on the results of a pilot study to measure global motives that may help explain patterns of activities of older people. We hypothesize that there may be multiple motives, each of which helps explain participation in more than one activity. We describe the development of a set of conceptually based measures. We then report on the results of a pilot survey conducted in eastern Massachusetts that explored the relationship between the motives and a diverse set of activities. We identified seven distinct motives: seek challenge, avoid frustration, need income, seek mental stimulation, sociable, contentment, and altruism. We found that the motives help to explain overall activity level and participation in specific activities.     

Global Activity Motivation and Activities of Older People

Measures of global motivation to be active might help to explain the overall activity patterns late in life that, in turn, might help us to better understand the nature of successful and productive aging. We report on a study in which we developed a measure of global activity motivation and examined its relationship to four activities: working, volunteering, exercising, and taking classes. An opportunity sample of 193 persons age 55 and older from eastern Massachusetts responded to a self-administered questionnaire on types of activity and motivations for engaging in these activities. The data show that a four-item global activity motivation measure is present and that it is positively associated with participation in a count of the four activities and two of the specific activities: working and volunteering. This analysis demonstrates that global activity motivation is helpful in understanding patterns of activity among older people beyond the contribution of motivation for specific activities. We offer suggestions on how activity organizers can make use of the global activity motivation concept to encourage older people to engage in activities.     

Language Barriers Surrounding Medication Use among Older Latinos

Limited English language proficiency forms a significant challenge for many Latinos in clinical settings. Although medications are commonly used by older individuals as a means of maintaining good health and managing health problems, the extent to which English proficiency is related to medication use among older Latinos is not known. Focus groups were conducted with Latino, community-residing individuals aged 50 and over in eastern Massachusetts. Qualitative evaluation of the group interviews suggests that language is a barrier in dealing with medication for these individuals. Limited English proficiency appears to be related to feelings of being discriminated against in clinical and pharmacy settings. As well, communicating directly with health professionals in a common language is associated with level of trust and confidence in medical settings. Use of formal and informal interpreters, as well as seeking Spanish-speaking physicians and pharmacies with Spanish-speaking staff, are identified as strategies for overcoming health-related obstacles surrounding language.     

Elderly persons living alone: the effect of community context on living arrangements

Current explanations of elderly household composition focus largely upon individual demographic, economic, and health characteristics and frequently ignore the effects of the community context within which elderly persons live. In this study, we incorporate the community context into an aggregate explanation of intermetropolitan variation in rates of living alone among elderly persons. We contend that three crucial community resources influence the rate of living alone: demographic and normative environment, economic affordability, and community social services. Data for Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States in 1980 provide initial support for this community-level explanation of elderly household composition.